Customer Reviews

Transformed by Triathlon: The Making of an Improbable Athlete

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

It is rare to find a book that can inform, inspire, and entertain all at the same time. This book is not a prescriptive approach to training for a triathlon, but an emotional one. It's about finding out if you have the grit and determination to accomplish what you set out to accomplish. The author tells readers how she did it, not how they should do it. Most of all, she offers up great writing laced with joy and humor.

She shares the details of her setbacks: family illness, injuries, and a bike crash the day before a big race. She also shares her triumphs: surviving her winter training sessions in the frigid San Francisco Bay, conquering the Hill called Kevin, running her first triathlon exactly one year after making the decision to train for a triathlon.

Although I may not become a triathlete, I can remember the power of positive thinking and the wisdom of the author's mantra that she repeats as she manages to power up a steep gradient for the first time without stopping to rest: "This hill is Kevin; this hill is my friend."

Running holds about as much appeal for me as watching paint dry. So, when a friend passed me Transformed by Triathlon, I was skeptical about opening the cover. However, I was soon transformed by the British-born author's take on American culture, triathlon culture, and life itself. An entertaining read that inspired me--if not to look for some running shoes--at least to look at myself and wonder, "What should I achieve this year?"

I thought this book was great, I couldn't put it down until I was finished. She tells her story of her start with triathlon from the beginning, it was informative, it will make you laugh out loud, if you do triathlon it will make you remember your start and if you thought you could never do something like triathlon she just might help you decide different!

This book makes you realize that at any age, at anytime we all have the capability to grab onto a goal and make it happen. Reading Jane's account of her struggles and achievements was fun and moving. She just kept at it and at it and stayed focused. Inspirational!

I can't imagine trying to train for a marathon or

triathalon without reading this barrel of sweet

inspiration. I laughed and cried. So grateful to

Jane for telling it like it is with wit and candor".

I loved this book. Jane Booth is incredibly inspirational. She gives us a very personal and entertaining view of her journey from ordinary to extraordinary! I enjoyed Jane's comical and insightful description of herself as a true novice transformed into an experienced athlete. She has a way of bringing you along for the ride. Her descriptions of the San Francisco Bay Area were amazing, too.

Recently, the word Triathlon entered my life. I do not know where it came from, but I am being pushed by this "Rogue Code" to become a triathlete...very much like the author's experience. Reading about Jane Booth's experience has helped show me what my life will be like as I progress from newbie enthusiast to triathlete. I related emotionally with the author, and I had tears in my eyes when she completed her first endurance event. In my opinion, this is a must read book for anyone who wants to try something new, something challenging, even if one is fearful of the activity or activities involved. This book shows that with faith and confidence, support from others, that "regular" people can overcome their fears and succeed in reaching their goals! Transformed by Triathlon is not only inspirational, but very motivational, too. Well Done Jane!

I loved this book! Jane's descriptions are captured so vividly, I felt like I was swimming, biking and running right along side her. This book is so much more than a guidebook for the novice triathlon trainee. This story is for anyone who's ever struggled to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in their lives. It is a book about finding the power inside oneself and allowing others to coach you through tough times. While I have no desire to take on an endurance sport, I found many of the principles and tips highlighted in this book useful and have expanded my exercise routine after this motivational read.

Transformed by Triathlon is one of the few books I have read that it truly inspiring. The inspiration comes from the author's complete honesty, her willingness to show not only the problems inherent in training, but the newbie issues (how to take a wet suit off, for example) that kept tripping her up. She is also honest about her personal struggles: serious illness in the family, for example. And how she kept training, and how it saved her sanity. A story like this can inspire an ordinary person to get off their duff and train! I found it much more helpful than the stories of Great Athletes. I can see what Triathlon did for Jane Booth, and hope it will do the same for me.

Although I am not now, never have been, and never will be a triathlete (I *walk* faster than I run!) I found this book to be entertaining, suspenseful, heart-warming, and all-in-all a good read. The description of Jane squeezing into a wet-suit borders on the erotic. And at the end, she even has a sort of revelation!